Quote:
|
Originally Posted by lurkette
1. Americans are spoiled rotten and haven't paid the true cost of petroleum-based fuels for decades. Our government heavily subsidizes oil prices and we've had artificially low prices.
|
A lot of people don't seem to realize that anything the 'government pays for' really comes out of the pockets of taxpayers. Citizens cannot be spoiled by having their government pay for something instead of them; the cost comes back in the end.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by lurkette
2. Higher gas prices have a regressive impact - the increased cost of consumption (and the correlated increased cost of consumer goods) is going to fall heavier on lower-income people because it represents a larger percentage of their income.
|
Sure, those with more money are probably better off. Of course this is the very idea of capitalism, that if you can accumulate a proportionally large amount of wealth then you and your offspring can reap the benefits. A statement like the one above cannot claim that there is something wrong with the system unless you also see something wrong with the statement "Wealthier people have more purchasing power".